Like social media integration, the use of email marketing can increase awareness of your business and its product(s) or your organization and its services.

Having a website is a great first step to any online strategy. But, without any tools to bring people to your site it will sit unnoticed, lonely, ineffective. Social media and email marketing takes your business or organization to the people who need and want it. Instead of relying on chance, hoping people visit your site, you can be proactive and take your brand and message directly to the audience you seek to serve. (Be sure to read, “What is social media, and how can it grow my brand?”)

Choosing the best method

Some folks often compile email addresses and simply send out bulk emails from their email account. It works, but only briefly. Eventually, your email address could be branded a spammer. Before you know it, you’re emails are being lost into the abyss of spam and junk folders. There are smarter ways to manage and build your email list, and plenty of companies offering email marketing services for relatively affordable pricing structures.

Building your email list

You can build your database of email addresses in many ways. Obviously, you want to promote the list on your website and in your other social media outlets. You can also collect email addresses when you receive donations or a customer buys a product. Do you go to fairs or festivals? You can collect email addresses there, too. Just make sure you’re clear with supporters and customers when they are making a donation, buying a product or completing an email list sign-up form: let them know they’re address will be added to your list and give them the opportunity to opt out.

Utilizing your list

When operating an email list the one thing you most need to be aware of is the needs of your customers or supporters. Chiefly, be mindful that many folks often receive lots of emails in one day; you don’t want to crowd up your supporter’s inbox. You can avoid alienating customers by making sure your emails are timely, contain interesting or useful information and, most importantly, contain new information. The biggest mistake an email list operator can make is including the same information in multiple emails over a period of time: customers and supporters will quickly learn your messages aren’t important and don’t contain anything useful to them. In short order, they’ll either quit reading your messages, or worse, they’ll unsubscribe.

To make best use of your email list, decide on how often you want to send it out and try your best to stick to it. Ask yourself: Should this be sent out weekly, bi-weekly, only when something urgent or important happens? If you decide to send something weekly or bi-weekly, don’t be afraid to skip a week if nothing new or important can be included in the message.

Lastly, be sure to connect your email message back into your online presence. Don’t leave your customers or supporters with a dead end: leave links to your website and social media outlets.